Never Say Goodbye
by Sentury
Summary: He was the only one who could understand her, and she was the only one who ever understood him, it figures Mia would be the last one to see Ike before he left.


A cold breeze swept across the forest blowing Mia's long purple locks wildly about, she stared deeply through the night's darkness searching for what she hoped she would not see. She walked slowly, pausing after each step before she was able to just make out the outline of a large and muscular man with an even larger broadsword across his back. "Ike!" the girl called out through the darkness, with just a hint of fear in her voice, "Ike." She said again this time quietly to herself as she bit the lower half of her lip. The man turned his body around upon hearing the name called; he was alert, but not surprised. Mia quickened her pace to a run, the silent taping of her feet against the grass and roots, being the only sounds in the night. She moved swiftly and easily through the forest quickly closing the distance between herself and the man until she was no more than just ten feet from the man, he was tall, blue hair, a gray head band and the sword resting on his back; the Blade of Legends Ragnell. To any and all of Tellious he would have been easily recognized as "The Great Hero Ike,", "Commander Ike", or "The Goddess's Chosen one.", throughout his illustrious career he had acquired many prestigious names, but to her he was just Ike, her boss.

"Mia." He said softly but with that firm and dimonsterious tone she always remembered him having, "I somehow knew you'd be the one to show up here. I even hoped you would be."

Mia took another step forward, staring intently again through the darkness. She took a long time to respond, she didn't really quite know what to say, admittedly to herself she wasn't the sentimental type, but she had to-wanted to say _something._ "Well, of course we're friends boss, aren't we?" she asked looking at the ground and shuffling the dirt back and forth.

It also took Ike a while to respond, for he too didn't quite know what he was supposed to say, "Yeah Mia of course we're friends." He finally decided to say, although he couldn't help but feel that something just wasn't right about what he said. "We'll always be friends." He added.

"So then…" she said trailing of, letting the words vanish into the darkness of the night. It had not been long ago that the Greil Mercenaries had defeated Ashera and brought back balance to the world. The Mercenaries and a few of their battle comrades wasted no time in celebrating once they had returned to the comfort of Griel's Retreat, the hideout for the now famous Mercenaries. They drank, they sang, they danced, they drank some more, it was the happiest Mia had ever remembered herself being. Watching Boyd try and out drink Gatrie and Mist desperately trying to stop them, Calil trying her best to get Geoffrey and Elincia to have but one sip of Alcohol (she was unsuccessful), Lucia succeeding with the impossible and getting Soren to dance, Oscar cooking some of the greatest meals any of them had ever indulged, and of course Skirmir trying to plead his case to Ike that any Laguz could out eat a human, (Ike had a full two more servings than the future Beast King.) smiles were seen everywhere that night, this night.

"So then why?!" she asked at the top of her lungs sending creatures flying throughout the tranquil night woods. Ike stood still, and for a moment the only sounds were the quiet breathing of the two swordsman, and Mia remembered, remembered Ike.

_The first time they met, "hey are you Ike?" she asked through the battlefield then, "Yeah that's me." He replied and how fair they had come together._

_"I can understand if you don't wanna stay, I know its not what you signed up for." He told her once she found out about Elincia and their quest to free her country. "'Course I wanna stay, watching you fight is the best." She would reply._

_"hahahahah." Ike laughed fully and whole heartedly, and that was rare. "Boss!" she yelled at him, "this is no time to be laughing!"_

_"I know, I know but did you hear what that guy said up there? Eat rock! Hahaha." And for some reason in the middle of an enemy ambush Mia starting laughing too._

_"Ashnard!" he yelled charging at him, the Ragnell raised high above his head, it was a site she would never forget, "You're going to pay for everything you've done for this country!" At the time she was only strong enough to watch him in admiration._

_"Whew, that was a close one Mia, you've gotten a lot stronger." He said after one of their many duels. _

_"Oh don't patronize me Ike, I'm still ways away from where I wanna be." She replied dusting herself off and picking herself off the ground. _

_Ike turned to leave, "I wouldn't expect anything less from my rival." He said as he walked off in the distance. Mia spent an extra couple of hours training that day, She knew of no one other than the Black Knight to be could Ike's rival._

_"Ike are you sure about this?" the cat Laguz asked. _

_"Yeah, Gallia is in the right, we will fight by your side." Ike replied to his wartime friend Ranulf, once again Mia only watched and listened with admiration at her friend, Laguz, beroc, or even Branded, these titles meant nothing to him._

_"Ha, ha." She panted her sword in a fixed position as she gazed across the field at her opponent, Ike. She could feel it; she saw his movements, blocked his attacks, saw the same fatigue in his eyes that resided in hers, she was fighting at a near equal level to him. Their swords clashed again and for the first time it was a draw, she couldn't help but laugh to herself as she lay helplessly on the ground, 586 defeats, and 1 draw._

_"Where is she!?" she heard him yell from outside the tent. He was causing quiet a commotion outside, she couldn't help but wonder what is he so worked up about? She pushed the thought aside instead re-tying the bandages over her wounds and putting her top back on. Suddenly without warning the flap burst opening and running through was Ike a distressed look about his face, "Mia!" he shouted, "Are you alright! I heard that-" Ike suddenly stopped realizing that Mia was quiet alright, and in the middle of pulling up her slacks. Ike froze realizing the awkwardness of the situation, his usually calm and even composure now a flustered and clueless daze. _

_"Something I can do for you, Boss?" she asked with a giggle pulling up her jeans._

_"So basically all I have to do is take out Ashera and everything'll go back to normal right?" Ike asked the goddess resting in their old enemy Micaiah's body._

_"Yup that should do it." Replied the goddess. And Mia again watching in admiration but this time with a laugh, taking me on another crazy adventure, huh Ike? She thought to herself._

_They stood back to back, his Ragnel sizing up a group of red dragons that had come from the right, her Alondite recently won from the Black Knight Zelgious, sizing up some white dragons that had come from the left._

_"Maybe we shouldn't have taken this entire pathway all by ourselves?" she asked still staring down the dragons._

_"Well if this is too much for you then by all means turn back." He replied but charging for a dragon as soon as the words left his lips. Mia ran the other direction to her dragons, no way she was turning back, she was his rival after all._

_Septhiran, just like any other enemy they encountered on that tower was indeed strong. Never in Mia's life had she seen such destructive power in one single man, she thought at least. It was the first time in a long time when Mia had felt fear as she watched Ike rush through the many spirits around Septhiran until he was face to face with the man. Mia wasted no time, Ike was strong she knew that, but this man had power like she'd never seen, there's no way Ike could take him on alone! _

_"Ike!" she shouted, but it was too late her friend had already disappeared into a blinding light casted by the user. "Ike…" she said again, forgetting to call him Boss like she had since they met so long ago. What a fool she was, Ike suddenly burst through the light his body sizzling and in a substantial amount of pain, but this did not stop him from counter attacking with a great swipe of his sword Ragnel. Sephiran stepped backward avoiding a fatal blow but catching enough to cause some serious damage. _

_"__I don't try to forget what happened that day. I just accept it... And neither that or anything else will ever stop me." She heard him say, his voice raspy and his body weary, covered in wounds. And she heard Septhiran reply in both sorrow and joy, "You are a strong man son of Gawain, but not everyone is as strong as you." The man then collapsed to the floor griping his large. Although he bared their path, although he was their enemy Mia couldn't have agreed with what the man said more._

_Mia unsheathed her recently received blade the Alondite, examining the great sword Ike had given to her. Together with their friends that had made it all the way to the top of Judgment Tower, and now just beyond those doors would be an enemy unlike she'd ever faced. In a way it was strange, she felt no fear or apprehension for a reason unbeknown to her she waited contently for the coming battle. She returned the blade to its sheath as she saw Ike walking towards her._

_"Something I can do for ya boss?" she asked a wide smile on her face. There was something different about Ike though, he was still as serious as ever but his confidence seemed to be gone as he stared at the ground a spoke the words to Mia._

_"Mia, I.." he started trying to find the right words but they didn't come._

_"Huh, what is it boss?" she wondered. Is he afraid, she thought._

_"Don't die out there today." He said raising his eyes to meet hers._

_She was surprised, Ike always cared for his comrades, but to come right out with it like that, "Heh," she laughed, "don't get your hopes up, I still haven't beaten you yet." She continued, still smiling and her face beaming. Ike remained silent only returning her smile with one of his own. They both stayed like this for a while, staring at one another and smiling, neither said a thing, but then again did they really need to say anything?_

_"Sometimes how you feel is more important than how you act." Ike spoke to Septhrian, but for some reason he was staring at her as he spoke the words. Thanks Boss, she thought to herself, you better not die either. She couldn't help but laugh to herself, yeah right, she thought again, Ike die, like that'll ever happen._

"I just do." His words were filled with sadness, but with eagerness as well.

Mia knew that voice very well, and she unfortunately knew there was no stopping him now. It was that voice that lead her fearlessly into battle, that voice that taught the agony of defeat, that voice that showed her the glories of victory. At this time there was no one in the world stronger than Ike with a sword, or with pure will.

"So then that's it huh?" she sniffled she could feel the tears welling in her eyes, she didn't quite know why but the thought of Ike leaving was unbearable for her. "Well," she said sniffling her nose and wiping away the tears from her eyes, "thanks boss, it's been great let's not drag on the good byes." Mia continued, extending her hand to him, she could still feel the tears forming in her eyes.

Ike extended his own arm reaching out across the darkness for her, although he passed by her hand, instead reaching for her face. Mia flinched as she felt his cold and strong hands against her check. Gently, he stroked her face, wiping away a tear from her eye with the tip of his thumb. Mia instinctively grabbed his hand with her own, feeling the rough backside of his hand. Neither of them quiet knew what was happening, both moving on instinct alone. It was not long before Ike slowly moved his lips to hers kissing her passionately. Mia resisted, but only for a moment before kissing him back. Ike ran his hands through her hair, he was rough and awkward and yet somehow romantic. Mia on the other hand did very little, only placing her right hand on his shoulder feeling the muscles work as his fingers ran through her long purple hair.

Ike was never sure when it happened, but from the moment his lips touched hers, he knew he loved her, and he knew Mia loved him back. It was not long before Ike forced his muscular frame onto hers; still kissing he removed his shirt, then hers.

The mourning sun was quick to rise that day, and Mia found herself awaking just as the sun crossed the horizon. She slowly rose to her feet removing the red cloak that concealed her body. "Most girls would be angry," she said to herself as she began putting her cloths on, "To just leave after something like that, but I'm not mad boss," she said staring at the great sword Ragnel, its head in the soil and tied on its handle a gray head band.

"I'm not mad Ike."

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A/N Hey, hope you enjoyed it! Have a nice day!


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